How to Import ParScore Test Scores into BeachBoard Grades

You can upload your ParScore test scores directly into BeachBoard. This will save time by not having to manually enter the scores one at a time. There are three steps: 1) Export your ParScore test scores, 2) Copy the ParScore test scores into your downloaded BeachBoard file, and 3) import the BeachBoard file back into your BeachBoard course.

Note: You do not have to upload your ParScore test scores from the ParScore workstation. Once you have scanned your student test forms and have exported the test scores to your flash drive, you can follow these instructions from your home or office workstation.

ParScore test scores can be imported into your BeachBoard gradebook. The three steps are outlined below and are then described in detail.

Step #2: Export BeachBoard gradebook as a Microsoft CSV file

Click Manage Grade (Jump to step #16 if you already have an exam column setup.)

Click New Item

Click Numeric in the “Choose a Grade Item Type” window.

From the Properties tab, complete the item name and point total.

Enter the “Name” of the item

Enter the “maximum number of points” for the item.

From the Restrictions tab, click “Hide this grade item”. You can change this status to “Grade item is always visible” after you upload your ParScore test scores.

Click “Save” returning you to the “Grades List”.

Click “Enter Grades” to begin the download process.

Click Export Grades.

Check the following:

Key Field: Org Defined ID

Grade Values: Points Grade

User Details:Last Name and First Name

Under “Choose Grades to Export”, select only the grade item you wish to add ParScore test scores. This “Grade Item” should have been prepared already with the appropriate maximum point value (See steps 10-15).

Grade Item: for example, Quiz1.

Click “Export to CSV”. BeachBoard will first generate the file.

Click the file name, i.e., “Development Course” to download the file to your flash drive or "My Documents" folder. You can create a personal folder to manage your saved files.

You have completed Step #2.

Step #3: Copy ParScore Test Scores into the BeachBoard Gradebook and Upload this file back into your BeachBoard course

Launch Microsoft Excel and open the ParScore exported file.

You will see four columns (A through D) with headers student_id, last_name, first_name, and, in this example, the score column labeled “quiz1”. (Your score column will be labeled with your item name.)

Sort these columns by “student_id”.

Select Data > Sort

Check “My data has headers”

Select “student_ID”

Click OK

Check “Sort anything that looks like a number, as a number” and click OK.

Save these changes and minimize the window.

Launch Microsoft Excel (a second instance).

Open the BeachBoard file: Select File > Open and browse to the directory where you saved the file. You will not see the file, because of the extension “.csv”.

Change “Files of type” to “All Files (*.*)” and you will see the “CSV” file. (CSV format uses comma as the delimiter.) Double-click the file to open.

DO NOT CHANGE any of these columns with the one exception of copying the ParScore test scores into column “D”, i.e., “Quiz1 Points Grade <Numeric MaxPoints:20>”.

Note the “#” symbol preceding each nine (9) digit ID number.

Sort these columns by "OrgDefinedID".

Select Data ' Sort

Check "My data has headers"

Select "OrgDefinedID"

Click OK

Copy and Paste the ParScore columns (A-D) into the BeachBoard file, starting in row 1, columns “G-J”. (Both the ParScore and BeachBoard files must be sorted by student ID.)

From the ParScore file: Copy the four columns (A-D) including student_id, last_name, first_name, and, in this example, the score column labeled “quiz1”.

From the BeachBoard file: Paste the ParScore columns into the BeachBoard file, using columns “G-J”. (You want to be to the right of the “End-of-Line Indicator” column.)

Before pasting column “J” into column “D”, confirm the alignment of student ID’s and names.

For smaller classes, you visually compare the two listings, watching for students who did not take the exam or who did not provide the correct student ID number.

For larger classes, you could visually compare the two listings or a formula could be used to compare the “OrgDefinedID” column against the “student_id” column. If the two ID’s match, the difference will always equal zero (0). This will help you find the mismatches.

The formula consists of subtracting column “F” from column “G”. See next page.

Column A cannot be used for this formula because of the “#” symbol preceding the OrgDefinedID numbers. So, you copy column “A” into column “F” and remove the # symbol with “Find and Replace”. Remember, do not change BeachBoard columns “A” through “E” with the one exception of copying the ParScore test scores into column “D”, i.e., “Quiz1 Points Grade <Numeric MaxPoints:20>”.

Using the revised OrgDefinedID column “F”, enter the formula, i.e., =F2 – G2 into column “K”. Copy the formula from the second row (K2) to the last row containing student data.

When you are confident that each student is aligned with their actual test score, copy and paste column “J” into column “D”, which is labeled as your test score column.

Copy ParScore test scores (column “J”)

Paste into BeachBoard gradebook (column “D”)

Delete all of the columns to the right of the “End-of-Line Indicator” column, including “F” through “K”.

You can review the individual scores before importing the ParScore test scores.

Click "Import" to complete the upload. If you hid the test from your students (step #14), go to "Manage Grades" and open the "Grade Item". From the Restrictions tab, change the status to "Grade item is always visible". Click “Save”.